Wet/Dry vs Canister

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FlorabamaTrigger

FlorabamaTrigger

Gambusia
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2010
187
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San Anselmo, CA
I've searched the threads and although came up with a lot of good ideas and opinions, I figure this would be a better way to get a more definite answer to the question I have. Any opinions on this subject would be greatly appreciated!

I am setting up a 125g FW tank with PFS and Crushed Coral for African Cichlids. The tank came with two HOB TopFins but I've decided to go with either a Wet/Dry Sump underneath, or go with Canisters for my filtration.

I am abeliever in over-filtration is better than under-filtration, so I'm shooting for about 15-1600GPH movement whichever way I go. For the money, I'm thinking I'm going to be looking about the same either way by the time I'm done so that's not an issue.

I've read the ups and downs of going with a Canister, and I've heard the ups with going with a Wet/Dry underneath. My problem is I haven't really read any negatives with going with a Wet/Dry setup. I KNOW there has to be some, and I'd rather have an idea of the bad that MAY happen rather than get blindly slapped in the face by it when it happens and never know it was a posibility.

So I put it forth to everyone here. If you had the room underneath, which would (or did) you choose for your filter setup, Wet/Dry Sump under or a Canister setup?
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I did a wet/dry because it was way cheaper and a negative would be its on the louder side. sounds kinda like a waterfall and the overflow can sound like a toilet flushing lol. but you get used to it.
 
Wet dry filter use more energy to get the water back to the tank. This is due to pump head, the height that the pump has to lift the water. Magdrive (MD5 45 watts) at three feet has a flow rate of 310 GPH, FX 5 at 50 watts has a flow rate of 530 (with media). Canisters don't suffer the same looses due to head height.

As long as you have enough media in either and they are plumbed correctly the only difference is setup cost which depends on how mechanically gifted you are.
 
You'll be completely fine with 1 Fx5. No need to turn your tank 12x's. If for whatever reason you will the Fx5 is not enough flow, get a koralia powerhead, but thats still not necessary. If you're keeping the smaller africans, even an Fx5 is not needed. You would do fine with 2 ac110s. Keeping up with water changes is key to replace nitrates. You can have a tank with 10000000 x's turnover rate. Does no good what so ever if you don't do water changes. In fact, as long as you have water flow and a place for your bacteria to grow, you dont need a filter. The mechanical process of filtration is only for our viewing pleasure. Carbon is not necessary either, unless you heavily medicate, which probably means that your either buying sick fish or you don't do tank maintainence.
 
Not so much worried about the noise since I'm setting this room up as the 'Aquarium' Room and plan on multiples. Quite frankly, the Aqua Clear HOB style I have on my 29g kind of dissapointed me because I COULDN'T hear it unless I dropped the water level down and then I lost my 'clear' view because of all the bubbles. I'm actually looking forward TO the noise! Of course, I say that now, but oh well, it's an ongoing learning process!

I'm waiting on a guy that's getting some numbers together for me for a complete Wet/Dry Acrylic setup with the pump, hoses, and overflow. Basically it will be the majority of the hard stuff already pre-assembled and figured so all I have to do is hook it up and start cycling the tank!

I thought about going with an Eheim setup, but after looking at the GPH and the costs of them, I'm thinking it would be not only less trouble, but the same price or maybe (hopefully) cheaper than purchasing 2 Canisters to move 1500gph! Or am I just wwwaaaaayyyyy over thinking this?
 
I assume that you didn't have an ac110 on your 29. You're not over thinking anything, your just going above and beyond what is necessary. The beneficial bacteria and the area that it lives on is what is important in a tank, not having a 12 time turnover rate.
 
creepyoldguy;4686455; said:
I assume that you didn't have an ac110 on your 29. You're not over thinking anything, your just going above and beyond what is necessary. The beneficial bacteria and the area that it lives on is what is important in a tank, not having a 12 time turnover rate.
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Nope. It was an Aqua Clear 70.

I was kind of thinking I might be going overkil on the filtration, especially since I was thinking of such small fish, but if I were to put in that large of a rate, it wouldn't hurt anything would it? And worst case if I did end up with a sump that ws moving 1500GPH, and I end up with a 2nd 125, is it possible to run BOTH tanks off of one sump? ... Okay, now I'm just dreamin I think....
 
creepyoldguy;4686403; said:
No need to turn your tank 12x's. Keeping up with water changes is key to replace nitrates.
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I definitely hear ya on the water changes, which I do religiously twice a week on my 29g now. But, how ofter SHOULD a tank's water be turned? At least 10, right?
 
Oh my, such a debate! Actually, there is such a thing as too much "flow". Some fish like calmer waters as well as some that like faster waters. Is a turnover rate that high going to kill your africans? No. But, before we get ahead of ourselves here, you also have to consider the fact that if a pump is rated for 1500gph, it will lose flow according to the height and angles that it must push water through. It would be possible to run 2 125's off the same sump system. doing bi-weekly water changes will keep waters pristine in any tank.
 
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